Arc welding processes are still widely used in manufacturing industry. To further improve the arc welding efficiency and the joint quality, secondary energy field/source is usually applied to assist the conventional arc welding process. Modelling, sensing and control of such arc welding processes are efficient and powerful ways for process modification and development and complete understanding the underlying interaction mechanism of the auxiliary energy and the welding process. This article reviews the present status in this aspect. A few typical examples such as external magnetic field-assisted gas metal arc welding, ultrasonic vibration-assisted gas tungsten/metal arc welding, and ultrasonic-assisted plasma arc welding are introduced to demonstrate their system, principle and effectiveness. Additionally, some challenges and future outlooks are summarised.
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